In the David versus Goliath of weed, five plaintiffs are taking on the federal government’s archaic stance on cannabis, claiming they have “suffered harm, and … are continually threatened with additional harm” as a result of marijuana’s Schedule I classification under Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812.

Plaintiffs include a military veteran who uses cannabis for post-traumatic stress disorder, a former pro football player with a business that sells hemp-based products, representatives for two young children, each of whom suffer from severe medical issues, and Cannabis Cultural Association, a non-profit organization meant to help minorities benefit from the cannabis industry, according to an article from Associated Press. The lawsuit also outlines that, while not a class action, it would benefit tens of millions of Americans who depend on marijuana’s medical properties.The military veteran, who also operates a program with a goal of ending veteran suicide, said one of the biggest challenges is not being able to travel across state lines with medical marijuana, even if you’re going to a state where it is also legal.

The lawsuit says the Controlled Substance Act has “wrongfully and unconstitutionally criminalized” cannabis. Our experienced Orange County medical marijuana lawyers know that at the heart of this matter is the blatant fact …

British Columbia’s NDP government announced its preliminary cannabis regulations last week. So what is the good, the bad, and the ugly of BC’s cannabis regulations? First, the good: dispensary owners with criminal records can apply for a retail licence. Albeit, we’re far from perfect. For starters, these dispensaries (some over a decade old) have to […]

The world of cannabis has exploded in the last decade. If you’re anything like me, you probably started your smoking career the same way I did: with some good old flower, and a pipe. There’s a certain nostalgic quality to loading up your grinder, smelling your cannabis as you break it up, and feeling the sticky trichomes as you pack, or roll up. Even today, I still take a moment to appreciate the feeling of some sticky buds between my fingers, and think about how far we’ve come.

Despite all of this; times change, and so do the needs we have when it comes to what we’re smoking. I remember the first time I saw what a dab was. Honestly, it’s a little intimidating at first. The product bears no resemblance to the kind green buds we all know and love, and the blowtorch wasn’t doing much to ease my thoughts. After the first hit, and the initial coughing fit, I knew I was a lifelong fan of this new method of cannabis consumption.

For the uninitiated; a ‘dab’ is slang term for any small amount of cannabis concentrate that is smoked. Cannabis concentrates are exactly what it sounds like: a concentrated form of the cannabis plant. The active compounds in cannabis, otherwise known as cannabinoids, are stripped from the plants using a solvent. Some of the solvents used in this process are butane, propane, or supercritical Co2. At this point, the product is purged of any solvents. Don’t worry! The Solvents …

Berkeley, California became the first American sanctuary city for cannabis as it fights the Trump Administration’s cannabis crackdown. That means that Berkeley will not cooperate with federal authorities and no city funds will used to assist enforcement of federal cannabis laws. Recreational cannabis became legal in California on January 1st, 2018, and on Jan. 4, anti-cannabis Attorney General […]

Vancouver’s annual 420 cannabis celebration at Sunset Beach is only two months away! With cannabis legalization on the horizon, this is a huge moment for the culture, but at the same time, 420 will continue to be a protest as long as people can still face jail time for cannabis possession. For all the vendors […]

Prop 64, or the Control, Regulate, and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act, does a lot more than the title might suggest. In addition to legalizing marijuana in California (and regulating and taxing), it offers a unique opportunity for the state to make reparations of sort to the people and communities who have suffered the most from the destructive “War on Drugs,” which turned out to be more of a slanderous attack on marijuana and an assault on minorities.

According to ACLU, most drug arrests between 2001-2010 were for marijuana, and a whopping 88% of those were for possession. Worse yet, black people were more than 3 times as likely to be arrested for marijuana-related crimes than white people despite having almost equal rates of use.

San Francisco and San Diego are leading the way in the state toward making amends for past marijuana-related crimes. The city’s district attorneys are proactively reviewing cases on the books and expunging misdemeanors that are no longer crimes, giving those who previously have been punished a clean slate. They also are checking for charges that can be reduced to lesser crimes.

But what about the rest of the state?Statewide, those with previous convictions can petition to have their cases reviewed and charges erased or reduced. Many, such as the district attorney’s offices in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, have cited lack of resources as the reason that they don’t review all cases, according to an article from The Press Democrat.

This week Mom’s Baked Greens on Expert Joints LIVE! Craig welcomes Ajia Mae Moon of Twelve High Chicks magazine and the M.O.M. Cup to the office. They’ll check out this year’s judges kit, while catching up on the second edition of both the M.O.M. Cup, and the Twelve High Chicks magazine. They’ll also be joined […]

One of the beacons of hope for medical marijuana businesses during these uncertain times has been Rohrabacher-Blumenauer, an amendment that blocks the Justice Department’s ability to spend money on prosecuting medical marijuana operations that are compliant with their state’s relevant laws.

However, this amendment is not a permanent structure and is put in peril every time the government shuts down and Congress must pass a spending measure. Given the tumultuous nature of the current budget debates at the federal level, this has already happened multiple times this year. Each time Congress goes for a vote, the medical marijuana community must hold its breath and wait to see if the amendment will be included in the next budget parameters. That’s no way to treat respectable business owners.

So far it has survived each round, but with another vote coming up in March, we’re not in the clear just yet, according to Leafly.

For years Congress has been dancing a political tango that has put millions of Americans in the cross hairs. They want to reap the benefits of support from the majority of Americans who support marijuana legalization. But they don’t want to upset the shrinking population still embroiled in the bunk “War on Drugs.” Others just don’t seem to want to admit they might have been wrong all these years about the proven benefits of cannabis.

When recreational cannabis is legalized, its retail environment will be very different in key ways from how we purchase alcohol or tobacco. Let’s take a look at how BC’s recently released cannabis regulations compare to similar laws for alcohol and tobacco, and explore why the government is treating cannabis the way it is. For a quick side-by-side […]

The more understanding of cannabis changes, the more enforcement of archaic laws stays the same.

In Los Angeles and other areas in California, government employees are getting warning letters reminding them that they are not allowed to consume marijuana, even while off-duty, saying their employers strict no-drug policies have not changed, even as state laws have evolved into the 21st century, according to NBC Los Angeles.

The warnings were spurred by the passing of Proposition 64, which led to legalization of recreational marijuana in California as of Jan. 1. Los Angeles is one of the cities which has welcomed legalization efforts and cannabis businesses. Meanwhile, it is clear many will not be able to enjoy the same freedoms as their fellow residents.

No one is arguing the merits of such a policy when it comes to consuming anything that might impair a worker while on the clock. But prohibiting marijuana use on one’s own time is as ridiculous as forbidding an employee from enjoying a glass of wine after a long day at work.Our trusted cannabis legalization attorneys in Los Angeles know that many places of employment will continue to hide behind federal classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug under Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812. That is why it is so important to keep pushing to declassify this beneficial drug, which science has proven time and again has no business being on the same list with drugs such as heroin. However, as things are highly unlikely …

In our endless quest to stay up to date with the best products out there, we have decided to ‘focus’ on a handy dual purpose unit from Focusvape, The Tourist.

Immediately upon assembling the parts in the sturdy packaging we see that indeed the Tourist is small enough to travel with although not as small as other similar devices. What sets it apart though is the solidness and quick interchangeability of its core parts to transform it from a dabbing unit to a flower burning unit.

To switch from flower to dab is equally easy as changing the top burners and then the topical switch from Herb to Wax. The base is solid as well because you never want your unit to fall over, unless that was your purpose!

To test out the flower portion, we used some Oregon garden homegrown Girl Scout Cookies grinded in the best grinder we have tried to date – the Zues Bolt 2. The flower was heated up nice enough to really bring out the chocolate notes in the GSC herb.

Cleaning the unit was simple enough, albeit like just about all units produced today for vaping, the enclosed glass makes it just that much more difficult. For situations like this, we used 99% alcohol and some long included cleaners.

If you are looking for a good dual purpose unit for dabbing and flowers, The Tourist makes a sweet travel companion and …

On Feb. 8th, 2018, all three of MMJ Canada’s dispensaries in Hamilton, Ontario, were raided by police, according to CEO Clint Younge. It wasn’t the first time that his Hamilton stores have been raided, but much like the previous times, Clint said the Hamilton police were very polite and treated his staff with the “utmost […]

Recently, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded an Obama-era Department of Justice Directive that essentially urged federal prosecutors to ignore marijuana crimes so along as alleged violators were in compliance with state laws. This step gave states the space to figure out how they wanted to handle recreational and/or medical cannabis laws without interference from the federal government.

Sessions, however, has made it clear he intends to revive marijuana prosecutions based on the drug’s current Schedule I controlled substance designation under the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812. By rescinding the 2013 order, Sessions has given federal officials the freedom to pursue charges against anyone for these violations – even if they follow state and local laws to the letter. Our marijuana attorneys in L.A. encourage all cannabis business owners in California to seek prompt legal counsel to best protect themselves and their livelihood.

Some don’t see this as an immediate threat, citing the lack of resources to go after so many operations. They also point to a lack of support among citizens to pursue such charges, meaning juries will be more reticent to convict. Others are less optimistic.This is especially true in states with brand new marijuana laws, such as Maryland, which only recently launched a medical marijuana program. When Sessions spoke out a few weeks later, many doctors in the state panicked, according to a Washington Post report. The Maryland State Medical Society even said some doctors who had already registered to offer marijuana to patients withdrew after Sessions’s …

In a troubling move, US President Donald Trump has nixed Israel’s medical cannabis export hopes.

Israel has long been a leader in medical cannabis research and now stands poised to serve a huge export market. Yet this market will remain unserved and global medical cannabis production discouraged, as Prime Minister Netanyahu has caved to pressure from Donald Trump to quash a lucrative and health-promoting trade. As reported by The Jewish Telegraph Agency,

The prime minister made it clear that he did not want Israel to be a pioneer in the export of medical marijuana in order not to anger the U.S. president, according to the report.

While commonly ignoring any American request to stop building settlements on Palestine land, in this case, the Israeli Prime Minister was quick to comply.

Netanyahu told the heads of the ministries he ordered the freeze after receiving a call about the issue of exporting marijuana from Trump, who is against its legalization.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect of this development is Trump’s apparent active opposition to medical cannabis. Of course, Attorney General Jeff Sessions nourishes a great hatred for all things marijuana and the others in Trump’s cabinet are extreme in opposition to cannabis, the President himself has said little about the plant. During his campaign, Trump expressed support for medical marijuana and for the rights of states to choose. His comments about the drug war have been extreme, even …

The Canadian Medical Association is calling for prescription level packaging standards for cannabis- both recreational and medical- and that the packaging be designed by health professionals like themselves and other government officials. As the CMA’s news release further explained, “the CMA is advocating for regulations that protect Canadians from misleading claims on health products containing […]

With the rollout of Proposition 64 on Jan. 1, Californians are beginning to enjoy legal adult-use marijuana. Some cities, though, decided not to legalize recreational cannabis, either because residents or leaders voiced opposition or because they wanted to wait to see how it played out in other areas of the state.

Chula Vista is one such city that did not join legalization efforts right away, but is considering a ballot measure this year. This would put the final decision in the hands of the residents of the city.

According to an NBC Los Angeles report, the city is working with a private research firm to survey residents for their feedback and thoughts on whether to legalize and how best to regulate the industry.The survey asks residents about a proposed city tax of up to 15 percent on marijuana businesses’ gross receipts. It also proposes taxing up to $10 per square foot of cannabis operations designated for testing, manufacturing related products, and cultivation. The city estimates this tax structure would bring in about $6 million per year, which would be used for extra law enforcement to monitor cannabis industry activity, youth education and drug prevention programs, and substance abuse programs. Remaining funds would be used to help out Chula Vista overall.

This design is similar to that instituted at the state level. Businesses will be required to comply with both state and local laws and pay taxes to each. Some consider the state and local taxes to be burdensome to businesses and have voiced …

The state of Oregon has been producing high-quality cannabis for decades. The climate, especially in the southwest corner of the state, is nearly perfect for the plant’s needs and the state’s progressive cultural climate supported people experimenting with marijuana cultivation. Now, with full adult use legalization, prices have dropped substantially. The drop in price per pound has caused havoc for growers, but now Oregon’s US Attorney is poised to provide price support.

For many decades, Oregon has been a leader in cannabis interest, use, legislation, and cultivation. As an agricultural crop, cannabis has long reigned as the state’s leading earner. When most old growth forests disappeared, logging waned as a prosperous industry and was partially replaced by cannabis. Oregon was the first state to decriminalize possession of small amounts. Then, 20 years ago, the state’s voters legalized medical cannabis, creating retail markets and allowing legal home growing by those with a medical card. Finally, in 2014 Oregon voters chose to legalize all cannabis adult use and allowed for four plant cultivation and state-licensed adult use grows. The state does produce a lot of cannabis.

Enter Billy J. Williams, US Attorney for Oregon. Newly encouraged to prosecute pot by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Williams is about to do just that. Of all the 94 US Attorneys responding to Session’s ending the protective Cole Memo, the Oregon US Attorney seems the most hawkish. He invoked a widely publicized …

Cannabis Life Network spoke with Dori Dempster, the Executive Director of The Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary– one of Vancouver’s original dispensaries- about the hoops they had to jump through with the City of Vancouver, including racking up almost $56,000 in fines, on their continuing journey to get a license for their Thurlow location. The Medicinal Cannabis […]

Thousands of California misdemeanor marijuana convictions could be expunged soon in an effort by leaders in two cities to correct the damage to some communities by a decades-long, failed “War on Drugs.”

The issue of non-violent drug arrests and convictions has been a controversial one in recent years, with some politicians clinging to the illogical argument that a failure to crack down on low-level possession leads to widespread and dangerous use. This just isn’t true, but this flawed thinking and aggressive enforcement of arcane laws has dearly cost individuals, families and communities (particularly those that are majority minority).Now, San Francisco and San Diego are taking it a step farther by clearing marijuana possession criminal records for thousands of people, according to a New York Times report. The San Francisco district attorney’s office said it is expunging about 3,000 misdemeanor convictions that go back 40 years. In addition, 4,900 felony cases will be reviewed and considered for reduction to misdemeanors in San Francisco.

In San Diego, 4,700 cases are under review to either clear or reduce charges. According to …

Meet Chef Jeremy Cooper, the mastermind behind the new edible line Fireline Cannabis is getting ready to release this month.

They say if you can’t stand the heat, you better get out of the kitchen!

Well, we wanted to know about all the heatFireline Cannabis has been creating and were finally granted a tour inside their facility and kitchen.

The Evergreen Market tours Fireline Cannabis and their new edibles kitchen, led by Executive Chef Jeremy Cooper.

After signing a non-disclosure agreement to the secrets we were to learn and taste, and armed with our ID tags and aprons, we entered the pristine kitchen of Chef Jeremy Cooper, Fireline’s Director of Research and Development, and the Culinary Master behind the new edible line Fireline Cannabis is releasing next week.

Inside the kitchen, sparkling counters and sounds of Willy Wonka playing in the background gave the sense we had been transported to a magical lab of sweet delights. Warm aromas of rich chocolate filled our nostrils and soon our mouths, as we experienced chocolate the way it was intended to be tasted; warm and fresh, a traditional technique used in Italy at Venchi Chocolate, a place where Chef Jeremy Cooper trained to master the historical art of making chocolates.

Chef Jeremy Cooper bringing the fire with the Firecracker; a spicy chocolate being released by Fireline Cannabis later this month.

Unfortunately, we can’t tell you everything we got to try, but keep your eyes open for some of the new products to hit the …

An unlikely ally is fighting for BC’s small, craft cannabis growers- the BC Conservatives- who are demanding that the provincial government allow a free and open cannabis market. In a Feb. 7th news release, Scott Anderson, the BC Conservatives’ interim leader, hit back at the new cannabis retail rules released by BC’s NDP government that […]

At 1:30pm, February 5, 2018, the looming threat to the rights of medicinal cannabis patients was confirmed when BC’s Minister for Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth announced the Government’s plans for regulating the sale of recreational cannabis. Clear in the distinction that these regulations are only to be imposed for recreational use, Mr. […]

Fledgling marijuana businesses in California face significant challenges following the Jan. 1 passage of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act(known as Proposition 64) . That measure made recreational cannabis legal in the state, but subject to a laundry list of stringent regulations businesses must abide. In addition, many local governments have set their own rules, and this is all heaped on to existing barriers under the federal Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812.

Good marijuana business attorneys recognize that even once a client clears all those hurdles, small operations often have an even bigger mountain to climb: Competition from cannabis mega-corporations. This has spurred a number of marijuana lawsuits against the state for failure to keep these bigger firms in check with sufficient regulation.

Specifically, some farmers are taking aim at the fact the law does not fully restrict acreage permitted per grower for marijuana.

In one example, California Growers Association, a nonprofit, mutual benefit corporation, has filed a lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court against the state’s agriculture department, challenging the lack of such a stipulation.

The farmers argue that without such a limit, they are positioned to lose their standing to large agribusinesses, which have resources to convert massive expanses of land, according to San Francisco Chronicle. This conflicts with provisions built into Proposition 64 to protect owners of small- and medium-sized marijuana cultivation operations.

At Evergreen Market, our customers ask on a daily basis “What’s new ?”That is a great question. In this very GREEN and fast growing industry, WE, as cannabis connoisseurs have the opportunities to enjoy a variety of different products. Almost everyday, you can see a new product pop up or a new hybrid strain by your favorite farm. I personally have had the pleasure of enjoying everything from THC infused Orange Soda to the most amazing flower that will surprise the nose every time you open the jar.

“What’s new?” I’m glad you asked. Edibles are a great way to enjoy cannabis. We recently added new products to our wide variety of THC and CBD edibles. Two that stand out, are the Marmas 1:1 and Canna Burst fruit chews. The Marmas are made by Northwest Cannabis Solutions. They are a square gummy edible that tastes amazing and will cure any sweet tooth. The 1:1 CBD THC ratio Marmas are great for pain relief and relaxation. Canna Burst are one of the newest edibles offered at Evergreen Market. They are tiny 10mg THC squares. They come in five flavors and are available in sativa, hybrid, and indica. One to two will have most feeling like they are on mini vacation.

Our customers can keep up to date by checking our Evergreen Market online menu. If an item intrigues your cannabis receptors, you are just steps away from placing an order that will be waiting for you at the Express Window. Be sure to remember your …

Adult-use cannabis became legal in California Jan. 1 with Proposition 64 going into effect. Many cities and counties however have decided to maintain a ban on marijuana, and others did not have local regulations in place in time for the official roll out of the law.

But even after just a few weeks, the state government is already reaping big cash benefits reefer. Gov. Jerry Brown estimates $643 million in marijuana excise taxes in the first year, according to a Los Angeles Times report. Earlier projections estimated tax revenue could eventually hit $1 billion. Brown cautioned we don’t fully know every market issue that is at play, so local governments should be careful before enacting any sweeping measures.

Even as such, the lower estimates more than cover the $52 million California budgeted for 2017-2018 to establish and run the marijuana licensing system. The $643 million also does not include local sales taxes or state license fees. It costs businesses $1,000 for a license to sell cannabis. The fees are set to cover all costs associated with permits, including background checks, and resources necessary for processing and issuing.Marijuana taxes are earmarked to fund job programs designed to curb environmental effects of illegal growers, youth prevention and treatment resources, help for communities most affected by the war on drugs, programs to prevent driving under the influence, and grants for job placement, substance-use disorder treatment, and mental health initiatives, among other causes. Each year, $15 million is also supposed to go to studies on the impact …

Today, BC unveiled its licensing guidelines for anyone interested in opening a non-medical cannabis business, and it’s organized into five main categories: Eligibility Licences Operations Inspections and Compliance Rural Areas Let’s take a look at the rules and find out who’s eligible as we explore how it shapes BC’s cannabis landscape with the latest updates […]

There’s a new trend out there among weed smokers called the “crab dab challenge”. And it’s just as wild as it sounds.

Over the last few years, people on social media have been filming strange stunts and calling them “challenges.” It started out mild with the ice bucket and cinnamon challenges. Now, kids are lighting themselves on fire with rubbing alcohol or dumping boiling water on unsuspecting victims for the ‘gram.

The worst recent challenge would have to be the tide pod challenge. Biting into a capsule filled with toxic detergent is apparently cool to kids today.

Weed smokers have started their own viral sensation called the “crab dab challenge.” Fortunately, this fad doesn’t involve harming oneself or others for temporary internet fame. However, the participants are mildly annoying crabs for a laugh.

What Is A Dab?

When we say dab we don’t mean the outdated dance move. There are definitely videos of crabs doing the dab dance out there on the internet. However, in this case, we’re talking about a single serving of cannabis concentrates. Concentrates typically have high levels of THC and they can be oils, crystals, waxes or shatter.

“Dabbing” is the vaporization of a dab or a small amount of concentrate. Typically a dab is done by torching a nail until it is hot enough to vaporize cannabinoids and terpenes. Then a dab tool is used to safely add the dab to …

While Attorney General Jeff Sessions is doing all he can to hold states to federal law regarding marijuana, some representatives are pushing to eliminate federal grasp over cannabis altogether and begin the healing process of the destruction caused by the war on drugs.

The Marijuana Justice Act of 2017 was originally introduced in the Senate by Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) in August, where it stalled. Two representatives from California — Barbara Lee (D-CA 13th District) and Ro Khanna (D-CA 17th District) — are now trying to get a companion bill before the House of Representatives. The objective of these bills is to remove marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic in the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812.

This move comes on the heels of Sessions rescinding a directive, known as the Cole Memo, issued in 2013 by the Department of Justice during the Obama administration, which indicated that federal prosecutors should not pursue charges in relation to illegal marijuana activity so long as those in question were abiding by state laws.

Our Los Angeles marijuana legalization lawyers know that declassifying marijuana is a long overdue step, one that is necessary for states to truly be able to freely monitor cannabis operations as they best see fit. While the Cole Memo acted as a bandage for a while, it never was a long-term solution. It simply protected states from punishment, but still labeled their burgeoning marijuana economies as illegal. Therefore, citizens and businesses still had to find workarounds for a litany of issues, …

On Jan. 25, CLN spoke with Don Briere, the owner of WEEDS Glass and Gifts. His Surrey store was recently raided by the RCMP, and he told us how having stores across BC gave him first hand experience of the difference between the Vancouver Police and RCMP. Don also tells us his biggest issue with […]

Have you checked your calendar recently? It’s time to decide what to get your valentine. Now, you could go with the standard bouquet of flowers, box of chocolates and a teddy bear, but let’s be real — you’re reading this story on Marijuana.com. If your passions burn bright, your gift needs to be fire. Do […]

from https://www.marijuana.com/news/2018/02/valentines-day-a-cannabis-gift-guide/…

If you love golf and cannabis, we’ve got good news! The 3rd annual Fore20 Golf Tournament and Green Market and Cup just announced the date for 2018- August19th- so mark your calendars now because there’s going to be so much to see and do, and we can’t wait to see YOU at the Squamish Valley […]

Back to Life. Join Craig Ex aka ‘The Expert of Expert Joints’ today at 4:20pm PT from Studio 710 for another episode of EXPERT JOINTS LIVE! This week Craig welcomes the hosts of Pot TV’s “The 420 Lifestyle” Carly Marley & BC Bud Gal. He’ll also sample products from MMJ Canada and do a some […]

Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently rescinded an Obama-era Department of Justice memo, which directed federal prosecutors to lay off cannabis charges in states where activity is legal. This has effectively opened the doors for officials to pursue legal action against operations per the federal Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812, even though they are abiding state laws.

Vermont is the latest state to make recreational marijuana legal for adult use, joining California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Alaska, and Washington, D.C. But what makes Vermont unique is that this is the first recreational marijuana law passed through legislation rather than a ballot initiative, according to a report from Huffington Post. This was necessary, however, because the state does have a system for voting on such measures.Also different, Vermont’s law does not speak to sales, other than re-enforcing that sales are illegal to those under the age of 21, or setting up a regulated market.

Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed House Bill 511 into law, which eliminates punishment for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana, two mature cannabis plants, and up to four immature plants. The governor cited his belief that adults should be free to do what they want on private property, so long as it does not endanger the health or safety of others.

Scott vetoed a similar bill last year, ordering a committee be formed to research cannabis markets and how they might affect …

December, 2017– It was raining lightly and the temperature was 18℃ when I arrived at Ishigaki Island- one of Japan’s most southwestern islands that’s famous for its nature and tropical weather. I was there to meet a former actress and pioneer of Japanese cannabis activism, Saya Takagi, to learn more about cannabis in Japan. Of […]

One of the most commonly asked questions I get as a budtender is “do the THC numbers matter”? To be honest, the THC percentage is handy information to have on the label, but is not an end all/be all when looking for a strong high.

For starters, companies use a variety of different labs to test their products. This creates vast discrepancies between the numbers that actually get printed on the label and what is present in the cannabis. Not to mention, just like an apple from one side of the tree might be more sweet than one picked from the other side; the sample nug sent into the lab isn’t a true representation of 100% of the rest of the cannabis plant.

One aspect I encourage and show most of my customers are brands we carry such as Fire Bros, Skord, Royal Tree Gardens, and Mad Mark where the bud looks absolutely amazing, but generally comes back testing with lower numbers, usually much less than the 30% THC you can occasionally find around recreational cannabis stores. I encourage my customers to put it to the test by buying an eighth of Skord and then buying a gram of our highest THC flower. I’ll tell them for the first high of the day on a clean palate try one of the buds and the next day try the other. I guarantee you that when you try the higher quality company with lower numbers, you will get more stoned than when you smoke the lower …

Three weeks after recreational cannabis sales officially became legal in California, select Los Angeles businesses were allowed to open their doors for commercial sales. While the Adult Use of Marijuana Act made recreational sales legal in the state Jan. 1, it is still up to city and county governments to decide for themselves whether they will issue a ban or set up their own guidelines and regulations. Implementation of guidelines takes time, and some cities, Los Angeles included, were not able to get them in place before the rollout at the beginning of the year.

Los Angeles City Council approved commercial marijuana sales early in December, and by mid-January about two dozen businesses in the city had been granted temporary permits. Three of those businesses had state approval secured and were able to open for business that week, according to an NBC News report. More regulations will have to be met down the road to achieve legal status permanently, the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation told NBC.While this was happy news for the city, the delay was frustrating to some dispensaries, who wanted to follow proper legal channels but felt they were being punished while hundreds of unlicensed operations profited from recreational sales. Not only are these businesses operating without regulation, but they also are not paying taxes, those who have followed procedure complained. Officials in L.A. said they intend to tackle black market sales and shut down unlicensed operations.

Check out Julie’s smoke-filled adventures at the 14th annual Emerald Cup as she talks to prominent women in weed, California’s craft growers, the man behind Weed for Warriors, and more. Julie, who was at the Emerald Cup for Skunk Magazine, chatted with Jane and Alaina Austin, the bad-ass mother and daughter team from Green Fire […]

With marijuana legalization on the horizon, questions continue to be raised about those with convicted or pending marijuana possession charges on their record. The Canadian government hasn’t been clear about whether or not they will pardon pot convictions. They have stated that laws will continue to be enforced until legalization finally comes into effect, but […]

As of January 1, California rolled out Proposition 64, The Adult Use of Marijuana Act, making recreational marijuana legal in the state. However, the new law did not automatically make cannabis legal everywhere in California. It is still up to local governments to regulate, restrict, and ban as they see fit or to open the floor to residential votes. Therefore, many Californians have been disappointed to discover their local laws are prohibitive to using, growing, or distributing marijuana.

Even more disappointing, though, is when the law changes in a region that initially legalized marijuana, especially for citizens who have already made significant investments in the cannabis industry.

This is the case in Calaveras County in Northern California, where the board of supervisors voted 3-2 to ban commercial marijuana. The board included four newly elected members who campaigned last year on promises of banning marijuana, according to an article from Associated Press. The decision will have broad-sweeping effects on some 200 cannabis farms that will now have only three months to shut down operations. The growers in Calaveras with permits have already announced an intent to sue the county. Aside from the substantial time and resources used to set up a growing operation, the farms had to each pay a permit cost of $5,000. On top of that, the county has collected a staggering amount of tax revenue from the farms since 2016, totaling more than $7 million to date.

This tax revenue was initially what prompted the county to open the doors …

In 2013, Deputy Attorney General James Cole issued what was known as The Cole Memo, a directive during the Obama administration that told federal officials to back off of prosecuting those selling, distributing, growing, or using marijuana, so long as the offenders were following state laws. The memo was issued to reconcile the federal Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812, which classifies marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic, with the wave of state laws that allow cannabis sales and use, either medically or recreationally. The move gave hope to the growing number of Americans in favor of full cannabis legalization nationwide.

However, the U.S. recently took a big step backward when current Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the directive, re-opening the door for federal prosecutors to allocate resources at their discretion for cracking down on marijuana operations.

Leaders in states that have legalized marijuana have no intention of going down without a fight, though. With many more making moves to legalize cannabis in state legislatures or on ballots this year, they might have even more allies by their side.In California, leaders are proposing methods to protect the state’s thriving cannabis economy, which has only grown stronger since the Adult Use of Marijuana Act went into effect January 1, 2018. These tactics include writing letters, potential new laws, and federal lawsuits, according to a report from Orange County Register.

Rep. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) has called for Congress to refuse to confirm any future appointments to the Justice Department until the …

Lakewood Capital Management, a multibillion-dollar hedge fund led by Anthony Bozza, shorted positions in Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis. Bozza wrote, “Despite recent mania around the legalization of recreational pot in California, there is a little problem: none of these companies sell at all into California (or anywhere else in the U.S. for that matter), […]

The increasing popularity of concentrates is explosive, becoming the fastest growing category sold in recreational stores. With so much attention on this specific category of cannabis products, varieties in textures and consistencies is only increasing. Some have been around longer and are more familiar like shatter, but with new products on the market like THCA crystals and distillate, what exactly is the difference between all of these?

The simple and most common answer, aside from which type of extraction method was utilized, is going to boil down to the purge– not to say that’s the case for all textures and types but it’s usually the case. The purge is the point where whatever solvent was used to extract the cannabinoids and other delicious parts of cannabis from the cannabis plant is removed and the product is about to be ready for consumption. Hydrocarbon extracts are the most commonly found types of dabs. The name hydrocarbon extracts refers to an extract created using a hydrocarbon as a solvent; this includes butane, propane, pentane, hexane, or a mix of them. Your favorite shatter, honeycomb, budder, are all made using hydrocarbon extraction. The way the different textures achieved are often the result of what occurs during purging.

Shatter and sugar wax are going to be at the low end of the spectrum for purging, which also means they will be the type most capable of holding on to terpenes and cannabinoids. Wax such as earwax or butter are going to sit more in the middle of the …

Join Craig Ex aka ‘The Expert of EXPERT JOINTS’ from Studio 710 where this week rapper and edible maker Lil Debbie stops by to talk about her new EP – “I’m The Rapper He’s The Producer”, and her line of delicious Cakes. We also welcome the creators of the strain formerly known at Gorilla Glue – Lone […]

It’s no news that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has strong feelings about the cannabis industry. Since his appointment almost a year ago, he has promised to uphold federal cannabis law, which classifies marijuana as a Schedule I narcotic under Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812. This path is in stark contrast with the narrative in the rest of the country: 30 states as well as Washington, D.C., have some form of marijuana legalization on the books. Eight of those states (including California) and the District of Columbia allow recreational marijuana sales and use, with more planning ballot initiatives and legislative votes in 2018.

Up until now, those states have been able to manage their marijuana laws as they saw fit without meddling from the federal government thanks to a directive put in place at the Department of Justice during Barack Obama’s presidency that discouraged enforcement.

However, Sessions recently rescinded that directive, opening the door for prosecutors to go after states that have established legal cannabis. It’s unclear at this point whether prosecutors will actively start enforcement. Sessions described the move as simply him doing his job and enforcing the law. He also said he would leave it up to U.S. attorneys to determine what issues should be their top priority based on their resources. But the U.S. attorney in Colorado has already stated he intends to align practices with Sessions’ latest guidance.

President Trump seems to have flipped on this issue, stating last year that he would leave the issue up …

Come July 2018, cannabis will be legal in Vermont. The Green Mountain State made history on January 22 as the first state to legalize cannabis through legislation- all other states that have legalized cannabis so far have gone through a ballot initiative, only legalizing cannabis after the majority of the population showed support for it […]

Educators meet as a unit, sharp every Tuesday at 8am. Starting their day on a positive note, they share wins of the previous week; sometimes it’s discussing inspirational stories with customers and sometimes it’s something more serious like a difficult moment in customer service and how to over come it. This is the time to build each other up, share in their wealth of knowledge and get excited for future moves.

Educators (from L to R) Wacheke, Mike, Vaughn and Jared share highlights of the previous week with the rest of the team.

The Educator program was rolled out on 4/20/17. Today they represent roughly three educators per store, insuring there is one on shift daily to assist a customer with deeper questions on products or provide that extra time to guarantee a new customer is comfortable and can ask all the questions or sometimes just have an ear to be heard.

Informational presentations from vendors happen twice a month, every other Tuesday, allowing the team to focus one week on education and another on in-house trainings.

House of Cultivar team came to visit an Educator’s meeting to share their way of cultivation with tissue-culture labs.

This Tuesday was a special treat with House of Cultivar team presenting about their operations; how tissue-culture works and their plan for world domination.

While California has been on the forefront of cannabis legalization, making medical marijuana legal more than 20 years ago with the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, and more recently with recreational cannabis being legalized through the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, other states have not been as lucky.

Many hope to change that this coming year, with at least 12 states on deck to consider some form of cannabis legalization in 2018.

This is huge news, not only for those particular states, but also for California and other states that already have legalization in place. The more states rally behind legalization, the stronger we stand against outdated federal laws, which still classify cannabis as a Schedule I narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812. According to a recent report from Newsweek, more than 60% of Americans now support full legalization.Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been adamant about his opposition of state legalization, but our California marijuana legalization lawyers in Riverside know that a united voice from the states sends a strong and clear message that we as a country are ready to move forward.

The following states will potentially make moves toward legalization this year, according to the Newsweek report:

Vermont: After the state legislature approved recreational marijuana legalization earlier in 2017, the governor said he first wanted to create studies on the effects legalization has had on public health issues. In December, the governor said he was comfortable moving forward. If things go as expected, this

“Political language… is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” – George Orwell Straight from the horse’s mouth: “The purpose of this Act [Bill C-45, cannabis legalization] is to protect public health and public safety and, in particular…” Meaning: Damn your BC Bud […]

California has in many ways led efforts to legalize marijuana around the country. The state was the first to allow medical marijuana with Proposition 215, i.e. the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. And while the state is a little behind others, such as Colorado, to join the recreational marijuana movement, it will set an example for the rest of the country with Los Angeles expected to skyrocket to the top of the list of the largest commercial markets in the country.

Los Angeles is among cities in California who have approved recreational marijuana activity after the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (or Proposition 64) went into effect Jan. 1, though the city is still finalizing regulations and collecting applications.

This is a fantastic step toward removing the long-held stigmas surrounding cannabis, paving the way toward normalization of marijuana both as a significantly beneficial medical resource, and also as a safe, non-lethal recreational device. Now that both are legal in California, though, be prepared to see a shift in the market.

While many in the state have been seeking more intensive medical marijuana treatment, such as for cancer or PTSD or epilepsy, others have known for a long time that marijuana was a safe alternative to other casual vices, according to an article from the Associated Press. These residents have taken advantage of the numerous pop-up doctor’s offices promising cheap medical marijuana recommendations with few to no questions about the reported ailments of the patients who walk in.

I know. This can be awkward… for you maybe but not for me. In fact, I have seen some pretty interesting facial expressions during these conversations, undoubtedly due to my level of comfort with the topic. Oftentimes, people think I am a bit of an oddball because I publicly and actively advocate for cannabis suppositories. […]